The blocks were stacked in a 'strange' way and one appeared solid, said Lt. Yvette Borden.

Deputies were called to the Corning casino shortly before 6 p.m. for a suspicious item in the south parking lot, she said. The blocks were about 150 yards south of the casino entrance and 100 yards from the inn.

Deputies could not see what, if anything, was inside the lower, hollow cinder block, Borden said.

The bomb squad was called out and arrived on scene at 9:15 p.m. They took an x-ray of the blocks and then removed the top block, which was determined to be harmless, she said.

The parking lot reopened about an hour after the squad arrived, she said.